Class will meet in DeGarmo Hall - Room 8C
Monday and Wednesday 9:00 - 11:00

COURSE SYLLABUS

Printable Version (PDF)

Required Text:

Creasey, G. (2006). Developmental Research Methods. New York: Allyn and Bacon.
Available at the bookstores.

Recommended Resource:

Most current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Instructor:

Patricia A. Jarvis, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
425 DeGarmo Hall (Office)
Voice Mail: (309) 438-8425 E-Mail: pajarvis@ilstu.edu
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 2:00-2:50 and Friday 10:00 – 10:50 or by appointment.

Course Prerequisites:
As stated in the ISU undergraduate and graduate catalogs, the prerequisites for this course are
Psychology 138 and 231. It is expected that you have had some developmental course work as well.

Course Goal:
The goal of this course is to transform your thinking about the methods used to study conception to old age based on scientific findings obtained from systematic study of life-span development.  We will focus on how we know what we know rather than what is known. It is also the goal of the course to further your professional development in this area of study in your major of psychology.

Course Objectives and Learning Goals:
This course focuses in research methods that have been designed to investigate life span developmental phenomenon. Ethical issues in studying human development, developmental research designs and methodologies, and previous findings (in part) on developmental questions will be discussed. In addition, part of the course requirements will involve evaluating literature on developmental topics, designing studies on such topics, and writing APA style research proposal. You will also give a professional oral presentation to the class on a developmental topic you have researched and complete a variety of labs related to the course topics as well.

After successfully completing this course, you should be able to:
1) Understand major theories, concepts, and methods used by Developmental Psychologists.
2) Describe developmental research methods, designs and ethical guidelines for the protection of human subjects.
3) Critically evaluate and design research using developmental methods.
4) Design research that ensures safeguards for the protection of human subjects.
5) Describe the concepts of internal and external validity.
6) Develop a research or grant proposal that is both rigorous and socially significant. That is, the work must have applied value.
7) Understand how previous theory and research can be used to justify hypotheses.
8) Describe how skills learned in this class could be used to obtain a relevant job in the field.
9) Use computer technology to conduct research and search databases.
10) Possess the critical thinking skills necessary to assess, evaluate, and critique research and theory.
11) Interpret research results, both in written and pictorial (figure) form.
12) Observe improvements in both your writing and oral presentation skills.

Your knowledge of the course objectives will be assessed via participation in class, two examinations, a class presentation, labs related to course material, and a research proposal as described below.

Class Attendance and Expectations:
Class attendance and active participation are required and constitute part of the course grade as described below. Class attendance includes being in class for the entire period, and being awake and alert with your focus on what is happening in class. It is expected that you will turn off your cell phone during the class period (no texting) and that you will only use electronic devices for appropriate class related work. That is, you may use your laptop for note-taking but not to check your email, etc. Failure to meet these expectations may result in failure of the class.

Grading:
Course grades will be based on a midterm (20%) and a final (20%), a research proposal (20%), a class presentation (10%), in and out of class lab assignments (20%), and your general engagement in the class (including but not limited to class attendance) (10%). Each of these requirements is described below.

There will be two exams (a midterm and a comprehensive final) each worth 20% of your grade. These exams must be taken at the scheduled times. Please see me the first week of the semester if there is a conflict for you with the scheduled dates and times of these exams (see schedule). These exams may consist of essay, multiple choice, and/or true/false questions and matching questions. Short answer essays are most likely.

The grading scale for exams is: 90 - 100  = A, 80 - 89 = B, 70 - 79 = C, 60 - 69 = D, below 60 average = F. (See different grading scale for graduate students below if you have completed an undergraduate degree).

You will also be asked to complete at least 10 of 12 in and out of class labs that will count 20% of your grade.  You will be asked to write individual original answers to focused questions about each lab and they will be graded on a 10-point scale. Among other things, you will be offered opportunities to participate in an on-line research project or observe one, attend a Thesis/Dissertation Proposal or Defense meeting, learn to reliably code videotaped play episodes, participate in a field trip to the Children’s Discovery Museum, complete surveys about your own behavior and personality, etc. You will be provided with lab report forms for each experience that must be submitted to me within one class period for credit. Some of the reports will be completed out of class while others will be completed in class during break out sessions. If you miss any of this work, you can opt to do the extra labs (up to two possible) to make up for what you missed. I will also offer additional extra credit opportunities periodically throughout the semester as well.

You will also be required to give a class presentation of a selected topic (a list of possible topics will be provided the first week of classes but you may opt for a topic not on the list with approval from me as well). Try to keep your topic focused on how a construct has been assessed and on typical rather than atypical development. You may draw a topic idea from your thinking about the required research proposal assignment. That is, what will your independent and dependent variables be in your research proposal and how might you measure them? Once you know that, focus your class presentation on the measurement of these variables (e.g., temperament, attachment, cognitive development variables).

For your presentation, you will choose a developmental construct of interest to you that has been well studied and is approved by me (such as daycare issues, attachment, media influences on children, part-time work in adolescence, school transitions in adolescence, emerging adulthood topics, middle adulthood transitions, or issues related to the elderly) and you will present to the class a broad theoretical overview of the construct and discuss various methods utilized to study this construct. Your presentation will be 20 minutes. We will work together in developing an interesting, engaging, informative, accurate presentation for you to share with your colleagues. We will discuss topics for your presentations the first week of classes and you will select a topic by the end of the second week. Your grade will be based on your preparedness, presentation effectiveness, and your ability to field questions as described on a grading rubric I will provide. It is expected that you will be present and attentive to the presentations of others, as you would want them to be for your presentation. This variable will be considered in your grade as well. All class members and I will complete evaluations of your presentation. I will not see evaluations by your classmates. They will hand them to you at the end of your presentation. They are to help other students focus on the relevant dimensions of your work and to provide you with peer feedback that has been shown in literature on teaching to be quite useful to your learning.

You are also required to submit an original research proposal that is worth 20% of your grade. Specific information on this assignment is linked from my course web page. I will add here though that late work is not accepted and all work is due at the beginning of the class period in which it is due. Proposals must be legibly printed conforming to APA format. Early drafts are welcome and I will do my best to get them back to you in time for you to make changes before the due dates but keep in mind that this will only happen if you give me sufficient lead time to view your work. Generally a week is sufficient. Please submit all drafts with final submission of work so I can assess progress.

The final 10% of your grade is based on class participation (including but not limited to class attendance, being on time and remaining the entire time for class, submitting feedback sheets to class members after their presentations, contributing to class as opposed to creating disruptions, and maintaining an engaged demeanor in the learning effort in each class meeting). I will keep some data on these variables but this dimension of your final grade is largely subjective. Generally though the points are yours to lose here.

Late work is not accepted and all work is due at the beginning of the class period in which it is due. All written work must be legibly printed conforming to APA format. Early drafts are welcome and I will do my best to get them back to you in time for you to make changes before the due dates but keep in mind that this will only happen if you give me sufficient lead time to view your work. Generally a week is sufficient. Please submit all drafts with final submission of work so I can assess progress.

Separate handouts for the other assignments will be given out and discussed in class.

For final course grades, 90% or merits an A, 80% - 89.5% a B, 70 – 79.5% for a C, 60-69.5 for a D and below 60% will result in an F for the course.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
 If you are a graduate student (meaning you have completed an undergraduate degree) you must complete additional work so please see me. You must also obtain a 93% in the course for an A, 86% for a B, 79% for a C, and 71% for a D. Any grade below 71% will be an F.

Cheating Policy:
 Instances of cheating (including but not limited to plagiarism and cheating on exams and written work) will result in failure of the course and referral for disciplinary procedures that may result in dismissal from the University.

Special Accommodation:
Any student in need of a special accommodation should contact 438-5853 (voice) or 438-8620 (TDD).

General Guidelines, Expectations and Suggestions:
1. Anxiety about this course runs high typically but attending class and paying attention will forestall that the most. You will need to keep up with the reading to make informed comments that are relevant to the course. I hope that you will feel comfortable asking questions and contributing as appropriate. I would prefer that your comments were made to all of us, I welcome any discussion you wish to have with me in or out of class related to the material and I do not mind if you make an occasional comment in class to your neighbor (except during exams!). However, sustained talking that is disruptive will result in a warning to the individuals involved and may result in those individuals being asked to leave class if necessary. It is my expectation that we will all conduct ourselves in a professional manner and be respectful of one another and the educational process (that is, it is rude to read the Vidette or copy missed notes, or do non-course related work during class time). 

2.  The assigned reading handed out the first day of class should be done before coming to class. You may have some questions prompted by the reading, and you will be offered chances to ask them and discuss the material. Class lectures will in no sense cover all the material in the book. Lectures may supplement, highlight, or bring in something entirely different from what is in the text. Exams will cover material from both the text and the lectures (as well as movies, class activities and labs, guest lectures, etc.).

3.  You can expect that I have put much work and thought into preparation for this class to make the work interesting and active for you. I believe email can be a useful tool to enhance communication between us and I will try to answer all email in a timely manner but given that our class meets on Mon and Wed it could happen that you email me on Wed and do not get a response until the following week. I usually am more prompt than that with email (even trying to answer it over the weekends and during breaks); however, email is not a direct conversation between us and thus may not be answered immediately or even as soon as you would like. Because I do try to faithfully deal with email efficiently and effectively, I create expectations in students that are unrealistic at times for me. Please adjust your expectations accordingly and I will strive to be available to you in a variety of ways (not just with email). I welcome appointments with you in addition to my office hours and am happy to help you during our class break, my office hours, or a specific appointment if needed.

4. I look forward to getting to know each of you and your interests in this area of study that I love. Your work in this class may serve as a foundation for later graduate work if you choose that path (and course papers make good writing samples in applications for graduate school).

5. I believe learning is a process and will work with you closely to see improvements in your learning based on feedback I give you. It is expected that you will demonstrate learner autonomy in seeking information to broaden your knowledge of the field more than just focusing on your grade or completing a graduation requirement. Make the most of this opportunity and it will serve you well later as my former students have reported to me.

6.  I wish you the best for a very successful semester!